Coming home was far more difficult than I had imagined. In fact, coming back to both homes was more difficult. I didn't know it would be so hard to be home for such a short period of time - I felt like I never spent enought quality time with the people I love! I'm so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family on the east coast - I thought it would just be a dream! While it was fantastic to get to see so many smiling faces and get all those hugs I've been missing, that just made it all the more difficult to leave and come back here! With Dad's stroke, leaving Chapel Hill and my mom and brother felt like running out halfway through something, selfishly moving along without regard to my other responsibilities. So back to Bellingham has also been a difficult transition.

Luckily, I've had Courtney, Chris and Katelyn here to help me along - we spent a fantastic few days in Vancouver celebrating the new year! When we got back (although it was a day late... we'll see how that turns out for 2010) I did make and eat the traditional new year's day meal - Pork chops, collards, black eyed peas and sweet potatoes, with homemade cornbread! SOOO delicious. I think I might give Mama Dip a run for her money (although the collards need a lot of work.)!

And today I'm back at school for the first day back! I can't believe that its already January 4! and that it is 2010!!! WHAT? How on earth did that happen? Where did the time go? I know that the following 8 months will fly by too - but somehow, right now, they feel like an eternity. I've got work to do at work, work to do at home, jobs to search for, LSAT books to study, vocab to memorize... decisions to make!? And just to answer the question, befor you even ask - I have no idea what I'll do when my time with AmeriCorps is over. No idea. I'm thinking about teaching english abroad, maybe trying to find a job in New York or DC, maybe AmeriCorps somewhere else... It is very doubtful that I'll spend another year here in Bellingham though. I've really enjoyed it so far, and the Pacific Northwest is gorgeous, but I'm just not sure this is where I'm meant to be! And, there are so many other places to try out. Any suggestions for the future?

Oh, good ol' Tenneseee. The land of my mother. And her mother. Sortof. We're here in Chattanooga (as an entire family... who knew it could happen!), hanging out and visiting Grandmommy Brock and Mom's side of the family. Luckily for Zeke and I, we actually got to make this trip a visit to both sides of the family.

On the way down, Zeke and I were driving through Charlotte and thought we'd try and meet up with our aunt Reen and uncle Wayne for lunch. After a few calls to the house, and a few calls to our other Charlotte aunt, and home, we finally caught up with Reen, her son and daughter in law and their family, and our other aunt Georgia! It was a brief little visit, but it was fantastic nonetheless. I love seeing and spending time with family. Maybe that makes me cheesy, particularly because I'm just out of college and I think I'm supposed to still be in the "I hate my family; they are embarrassing" phase. But, I'm just not. I love seeing them and spending time with them! And living across the world makes that even more difficult.

That, combined with the fantastic time I've had with my friends over the past week (already a week gone! No! How!?) has made me realize that I need to move back East! I can't, and won't say for sure what the plans for next fall are, but I can tell you now that being this far away from my family won't last forever.

The current ideas for future plans are (in no particular order): Law School? Grad School (public policy, international politics, non-profit managment?)? Massage School (still an option) Culinary School (this is really just an "I want to move to Paris and learn how to cook fantasy) Teaching English abroad, possibly in Spain, Chile, Brazil, Italy or Thailand?

Any other suggestions?

Its only half way through November, and I think the weather has already arrived. We've had wind storms the past 2 nights, and last night the power was out for hours. Up on Mount Baker, its been snowing for 2 weeks and they already opened the slopes... but they say its an El Nino year, which means its supposed to be dry. Hrm. These Pacific Northwesterners sure have a funny notion of what "dry" is.

Anyway, its actually quite beautiful, even with the wind and rain. I'm hoping that it snows soon - down here, off the mountain, so that we can have some of that lovely white stuff and not have to drive to get to it. I doubt it'll happen. And if it does, it will probably be the night before I'm supposed to come home, and somehow they'll cancel my flight - those things would happen.

Speaking of coming home, I'll be there in just a month! I'm so excited! I've had a few guests these past couple weeks, and they've been lovely! But they also reminded me of all the fantastic people I'll hopefully get to see very soon (read: having them here made me homesick!). I'm going to miss out on delicious family Thanksgiving. But I'm going to try and make up for it by cooking up a storm over here. My roommate is having some of his grad school buddies here, so it should be a good time - lots of eating and drinking, I'm hoping.

Dad wants me to put up photos so that he can show them off to everyone in the family while they are at my Aunt and Uncle's house for Thanksgiving... I'll see if I get around to that this weekend...

Well. As it turns out, they can't keep me off the chairs in Washington, either.

Tonight was our first Family LIteracy Night. For those of you wondering what the hell that is, the answer: me too. We had a bunch of families come together to do art projects based on a classic book "Where the Wild Things Are," hear the story, and socialize over juice, coffee, and popcorn. I think it was a hit - but there's always tomorrow for that to change. I shouldn't even be awake right now because I have a meeting early in the morning, but I had about 6 cokes today so I'm still jazzed.

There were several people I wish I could have shared my success with: my family and my friends! I miss you so much. Mom and Dad, you would have been proud of how many people were there, and how many donations I got! And Hil, Kate and Alli - you should have seen those cute kids doing art projects and listening to stories! Anyway, I miss home. Its not that things are terrible here, in fact, they're going pretty well considering I just up and moved to a place I knew no one and had no idea what I was going to be spending my time doing. And its not that things at home would be better (I know I'd be miserable down there with no job and aggravating my folks), but just not having that familiarity, the closeness all the time - its like I was wrapped in a cocoon of loving that I didn't realize I had on. And then I just jumped out - I don't have wings! I'm not ready! What am I doing?! Anyway, terrible analogy, but I just wanted you to get the picture that the east coast is still where my heart lives. These west coasters just don't know - particularly not how to cook chicken the proper way (fried).

Work is getting really busy - I've finally got my first set of VOLUNTEERS coming into the building this week and next. And then the week after that, we've got SERVES, so I'll be in Yakima for a week learning. And then its November! Holy moly, how did that happen? Busy is much, much better than not. I'm not meant to be left to my own devices (those of you who worked with me at Learn know this...) with little direction. But things are getting better, getting better all the time.

And the house - the mansion of a house - is still good. We're getting a new roommate soon because the other woman in the house bought a house, so she's going to be living there soon. I'm sure this will change the dynamic of the house, but I think it will be fine. These are good boys. I got really lucky.

I have to go to bed now - but keep in touch. I've been bad about updating. I'm going to try to do better. Its this new change kick im on (Hilary!).

So, I haven't written in a while. MY BAD!!! But consider it a good thing, because I haven't written because I've been busy!!! And being busy in a new place is definitely the way to go about being in a new place. Today is Friday, and I just got home from our AmeriCorps Training/National Day of Service for Sept. 11. We learned about volunteer recruitment and then worked for a food bank type place that does deliveries for people. It was pretty sweet.

We had our first week of real work starting on Tuesday. It has been both inspiring and disheartening... I have so many ideas of things to do, but its frustrating to have to start work the same day school starts. There are so many things going on that its really difficult to sit down with the staff to get some solid plans in place - like, for example: part of my job (a huge part) is volunteer recruitment and creating a plan that will be sustainable for the school. I can't really do that until I know what kind of volunteers they need, and what they have in mind for people who want to come frequently, and for people who can only come once a month. But I cant figure that out until I sit down with the principal and get a chance to ask the teachers and other staff where they think the need is. And right now, they've got SOOO much going on, that I don't even want to try to add to their plate. So that kinda sucks. BUUUUTTT, its awesome because this program is really new at my school (as in, brand new) so we (the other volunteers and I) have a lot of leeway in what goes down, the traditions that they start, etc. So that is good. Its just tough getting everything going. But, that comes with the terf.

On the social scene, things are going well... as you all predicted, I have successfully met EVERYONE IN BELLINGHAM!!!!! No, just kidding. I've only met my roommates, some of their friends, and most of the AmeriCorps people. All of whom are VERY nice! They invite me out and I'm trying to go even though sometimes its super awkward not to have a buddy who is familiar. But for the most part, everyone is super cool and really nice to me (it might be because of what they've heard about NC... they think we're slow. just kidding!).

Ok its a lot of work to put pictures inside the blog, but I'm going to upload some more pictures from the trip, and then from my house so those of you who care (dad...) can see where I live!!!!

I'm sure you all know how stubborn I am. And how I always have to be right. But, I wasn't. Bellingham isn't rainy and terrible. All of you (literally, everyone who I told I was moving here) who said "Oh, its just beautiful. You're going to loooove it!" Well, you were right. It IS beautiful. I DO love it! I haven't had too much time to explore downtown and surrounding areas, but thus far, what I've seen is gorgeous and I'm really thrilled to be living in such a cool place! For those that have never been to the NW, I think it most easily compares to Asheville. It's like living in Asheville if it were next to Canada instead of Tennessee. Its cool, there is water and there are mountains - what more could you ask for, right? Let's see if I'm still saying that in the middle of winter, when its 40 degrees colder and is only light outside from 8-4:30. But for now, it is glorious.

My PSO (pre-service orientation) was good and bad. it didn't need to be anywhere close to 3 days long, but I learned a lot about what it means to be a VISTA (Volunteers In Service to America) as opposed to the other types of Americorps programs. I'll soon (hopefully today, if I can get by behind out of the house) be learning about what it means to be a VISTA at my school. I'm super excited about what kinds of work I'll be doing (Thank you, Foust!) - mostly grant writing and soliciting funds, connecting the school with the outside community in a sustainable partnership, recruiting and coordinating volunteers, and maybe some other special projects (I'm really interested in getting computers and reading programs into all the classrooms... we'll see if that could actually happen) depending on time and expectations. But this is so right up my alley - It'll be really really challenging, particularly because I'm generally so results-oriented and the likelihood of seeing anything come of my efforts is really small. At least while I'm there. BUT: I do get to leave a legacy for the next VISTA at that school. I'm going to try and leave a notebook with contacts and spreadsheets, etc. with all the work I've done so they don't have to start from scratch, and they'll have a better idea of what has been going on with the school. I'm a first year VISTA at this school so I get no help. But, that is OK with me.

Today, I've got to go to the bank and set up an account so that I can get paid!

hello Bellingham! Home sweet home. We arrived to the home base late last night, to find Ben and Jamie with a few of their friends, planning their next hiking trip (sometime next week...). The house is absolutely gorgeous. In a neighborhood with lots of other gorgeous houses (the taxes! Oh, the taxes on this place!) from what I could tell at 10:30 at night. Of course, mom and I woke up startlingly early, and have been searching on the interwebs for a mattress for me to sleep on. I'll post pictures of the room, before and after. And, now that its light out, I'm going to be taking mad pictures of the house. AHHH.

I'm excited to start exploring.... we've got lots to do today!!!

Eugene, Oregon is super hot. I, along with mom, had the false impression that because Oregon is in the Pacific Northwest, it would be cool. We left great weather in Berkely thinking - "hey, we're going even more north. itll be cool." but alas, we were proven wrong. I shouldn't be complaining, because soon I'll be wishing I had sunshine and hot weather. We plan on getting to Bellingham tomorrow night - then I'll be home! But not HOME, home.

I don't really know why, but I'm super tired today - and I think the shift from pleasant/cool weather to hot really bummed me out. I'm not sure why. Maybe also it was leaving the little taste of Chapel Hill on the west coast that Hunter reminded me of... booo.

Oh well, there is mad stuff to be excited about... a new room, new roommates, new pets to play with, new city, new job, new furniture...yea! Tomorrow will be super busy and super exciting.

We're so close! In the home stretch! We're currently in Berkely, CA at the public library getting our fix of the interwebs. We've been staying with a friend of mine from Carolina, Hunter. He's generously putting us up in his roommate's empty room. Its cold here! We have switched to jeans and jackets - such a quick turn-around. On Saturday morning we were hot, and by Saturday night I was freezing.

Yesterday we walked around "the city" which is what Berkelyites call San Francisco, since its a BART ride away. Awesome. I love San Francisco! I think I really like the lower architecture - not so high that you feel like a pea walking around - it somehow makes the city feel more intimate. It also makes real estate a whole hell of a lot more expensive, but, alas, the price you pay. Yesterday we saw sea lions and took a cable car - two classic san franciscan things to do. And today we're going to walk around campus and then drive across the golden gate bridge (even though its 5 bucks). The golden gate bridge is the only thing i really really wanted to see. So, we've gotta do it!

Tomorrow morning we leave for Eugene, OR. it's just a stop-over, nothing exciting. And then Wednesday morning, we'll leave for seattle. Hopefully we can get there by mid-afternoon to be able to go rent a van, pick up my boxes from Amtrak, and then maybe go to ikea! We plan on being in Bellingham on Wednesday night.

Sorry about the lack of pictures - Zeke and I have been experiencing technical difficulties. Namely, I've got pictures that are too big, and I can't resize them on the website because they won't upload. And I don't have software that will let me resize them. LAME. So, I have to use mom's computer, which is usually being used by her. I've been able to upload a lot of them to facebook, so if you have an account there, check out the album. I'll make it public. Sorry!!!!

I've never been to Chicago but Nevada and southern California are damn windy. We spent the night in Barstow cali and barely slept because we might have gotten blown away for all the wind. Loud, strong wind. That and 40 ending are the only things I know about Barstow and I think I can safely say, all both mom and I care about knowing.

Maybe we just couldn't give it a chance because we'd just driven several hours from one of the least aptly named places in America. The Grand Canyon is sooooo much more than "grand" could ever encompass. It is breath-taking. Neither of us have ever seen anything quite as... Huge?

So Cali means we made it to the west coast and pacific time. Now we just have to go north, which we are in the process of moving up the middle of the state, surrounded by grape vines and apricot trees.